Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Italy took its well deserved third victory - finally! - at the Eurovision song contest 2021. Over the years several other Italian entries would have been worthy winners. In this series I will go through all of them from the worst ranking to the winners. We'll live it all again  (Also known as Noi lo rivivremo di nuovo, or We'll live it all again - Lo rivivrei, or E fu subito amore ) was the very first Italian entry to feature non Italian lyrics which is rather fitting as Romina indeed is basically American. They also recorded it in Spanish and French, and even anew in Spanish in 1982. This said they placed 7th out of 18, a placement they'll live all again in 1985. They were chosen internally by Rai for no special reason at all.  Albano Carrisi (78) started his music career in mid 1960's and soon hit it big selling already millions by the end of decade. Then he met Romina and the rest is history. His solo career continued in mid 1990's and among curious facts he did...

Eurovision throwback! New series. I will present and comment here the contests of yesteryears picking up four songs from each year (or more). Not the ones I think are the best (now) but the songs that throwback memories when I see them in the participation list. Of course mostly they're my favorites at the time, songs that I have loved. Some have aged well, some... well, not so well.   Anyways, let's start from the beginning: 1976. 1976 is the first contest I have some memories of.  Nine years old me watched the snow sneaking in to living room escaping the eyes of my parents who'd rather see me in bed already. But I was there, hidden at the door eyes fixed to the tv screen and by 1977 I was hooked forever. My uncle had the tape of these songs so I listened to it every given chance when at my granny's in the summer..... The voting was a runaway race between winners Brotherhood of Man and France's Catherine Ferry leading the first half of the voting. She u...

Hazell, from the UK Eurovision selection 1976 and 1984 to a leading and multiple award winning Hi-NRG live artist before providing hidden backing vocals to Samantha Janus in 1991 Eurovision and tuning into a cover artists and singing her old hits in the gay circuit. She's still around but like with so many I lost track of her when the decade came to an end.... Wonderful vocalist, maybe I should check out her again..... because she does things like this , this and this . 

"After a heart attack, an ischemia, a vocal edema already defeated, I don't need only this unnecessary war, disgusting and shameful!" This is what Albano declares and announces his leaving from all social medias due to "Absurd and unacceptable daily reactions full of hate, brutality and violence against me and my loved ones" Well, after his homophobic comments, egoism, ignorance and beating up a journalist or two along the way (check the videos below).... maybe he should have had a long look at the mirror first? No further comment. Be clear: I don't support any form of cyber bullism. Sadly, in today's world being a public figure one must stand some harsh comments etc as long as people learn to behave and stop being nasty behind nicks. That's like.... never, isn't it?

Fredi aka Matti Siitonen  turns 75 today! He has represented Finland twice in the Eurovision and has even written an additional entry (1979). His daughter Hanna-Riikka has kept the family name alive in the Eurovision in the 1990's and 2000's as a backing singer and national final competitor. Congratulations!

Indonesian born Sandra Reemer aka Xandra has died at the age of 66 in Amsterdam. She represented the Netherlands three times at the Eurovision song contest; 1972 with Andres and Als het om de liefde gaat , 1976 with The party's over and in 1979 with Colorado . She died of breast cancer after being diagnosed earlier this year.... 

The 1957 Eurovision song contest winner for the Netherlands Corry Brokken has died. She's one of the very few artists who sung at the Eurovision three years in a row and she won with her second attempt. The year after she came last so she hold the record of being first and last. She also presented the contest in 1976, and was the Dutch spokesperson in 1997.

The Nederlands Congrescentrum in The Hague hosted the 21st Eurovision song contest on April 3, 1976. The famous 12 points made its second appearance - but not yet in the order from 1 to 12 but in the running order. 18 countries took part when Malta, Sweden (officially because they claimed not being able to host if they won again, but there were heavy protest against Eurovision in Sweden at the time) and Turkey withdraw but Austria and Greece returned. malta had actually chosen an entry (Enzo Guzman) but withdraw for reasons unknown and wouldn't return until 1991. Turkey withdraw due to the Turkish invasion of Cyprys, the reason Greece withdraw the year before...  UK scored one of the biggest Eurovision winners and hits ever with Brotherhood of Man's Save your kisses for me . It's propably the best selling winning song to date with over six million singles sold all over world and being the best selling single in the UK of the year, and scored 9.65 points per country, a ...

Romina Power has released a new album, her first solo album since.... 1974! Even her latest album with ex-husband Al Bano is from 1996. The couple divorced in 1999, five years after their daughter Ylenia went missing in New Orleans in 1994. The mystery of Ylenia that still has not been solved apparently was a main factor that the lovebirds in the end lost their connection and separated. Romina still firmly believes Ylenia is alive while Al Bano has lost his hope. Al Bano and Romina Power represented Italy twice in the Eurovision song contest. First in 1976 with We live it all again and then again in 1985 with Magic oh magic and finished 7th in both occasions. In 1985 Ylenia was one of the backing singers. They won Sanremo 1984 with Ci sarà and one of their biggest hits is Felicità .  These songs have been recorded already in 1998 when Romina was planning to go on as a singer but eventually were left in the studio when she ventured to other projects; she has written several ...

We all know by now that Lena's Satellite is in the charts all over the place from Australia to Austria, but did you know it is only the 7th Eurovision winner that hits #1 in Finland? And for the first time two Eurovision winners in a row make it? (Well, I personally think one can't compare today's digital charts to those good old days when you had to go and buy the physical single but that's another story....). Germany is also the only country that has managed to make two of its winners #1's in Finland and it took her only 5 days while it took 3 weeks for Rybak last year...  Anyways, between 1971-1984 all the winners were charting in Finland, and with one exception all of them also made the top-10. The biggest of them all is though France's last winner L'oiseau et l'enfant by Marie Myriam as the song also charted in two different Finnish cover versions, by Katri Helena and Merja Rantamäki .  Here are all the Eurovision winner number ones in Finland: ...

Non so che? Non so che darei , one of the maybe forgotten Italian entries by Alan Sorrenti, anno 1980. The Olsen Brothers are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their win with Fly on the wings of love with a new album made of Eurovision covers titled Wings of Eurovision including of course their own updated to 2010. The other songs are Congratulations , Waterloo , Ein bisschen Frieden , Främling , Save all your kisses for me , Hallelujah , Boom bang a bang , Volare , La det swinge , Love shine a light and Rock'n roll kids . Some choices sound very suited for the gentleman, the others... well, we just have to wait til late May to hear how they manage with them!

YLE Studios in Helsinki hosted the Finnish final 1976 on January 31. Open contest was held and out of 245 songs YLE's jury chose the final songs, and regional juries the winner. Originally Fredi had planned to sing Pump pump with Marion but she had to say no thanks due to her well going career abroad. He also surprised many with this uptempo number as he was known as a ballad singer. The juries thought it's not maybe the best song but the most suitable for Haag . And indeed it seemed like that as Finland was considered one of the favourites and even a top-5 placing was to be expected. In the end 44 points and 11th place and a big disappointment. We like to blame the catholic countries for that. It was way too risky for them. Was it?

In the 1970’s Ralph Siegel starts his Eurovision adventure as well as scores hits by many artists. In 1972 he gets two songs to the German final: Edina Pop ’s Meine Liebe will ich Dir geben and Andrian Wolf ’s Mein Geschenk a n Dich . He doesn’t win yet but then in 1974 he gets to Eurovision when Ireen Sheer sings Bye bye I love you for Luxembourg and places fourth. Meanwhile he has also had his first superhit, Rex Guildo ’s Fiesta Mexicana. A year after he tries again in Germany with Peggy March ’s Alles geht voruber . Still no win but his record company is doing well and he produces hits to many artists including Udo Jurgens . One of them was Penny McLeane ’s Lady Pump that topped the charts all over Europe . In America he gets his first #1 hits when Silver Convention ’s Fly Robin fly and Get up and boogie top the charts. In Germany he hits it big with Peter Alexander . In 1976 he finally wins the German selection with Les Humbries Singers singing Sing sang song tha...

The Netherlands hosted already 3rd Eurovision when the 21st Eurovision was held on April 3, 1976 in Den Haag. Sweden, Malta and Turkey skipped this year but Austria and Greece returned. UK's Brotherhood of Men was the big favourite, started the show singing as #1 and won easily. Their win is the biggest with this current voting system (164 points from 17 voting countries). Worth mentioning also France's Catherine Ferry with 1,2,3 scored extremely well: 147 points while 3rd placed song got only 93. One had to wait such a win until 1986 and 2006 when Sandra Kim and Lordi were very clear winners. Besides that the single is the best selling Eurovision winner ever and scored #1 almost everywhere and was the most sold single in the UK in 1976. The group went on to score hits and is still active today - in its original line-up! http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bKAPVpA46o

Another Eurovision veteran is taking part in Sanremo, too. Al Bano or Albano Carrisi returns for the 12th time. He started as solo, then did several festivals with then wife Romina Power and they also did Eurovision twice (in 1976 and in 1985). Hel also backed Jane Bogaert for Switzerland in 2000. Since 1996 he has been to Sanremo as soloist again. Two years ago he took a surprise 2nd place in the final. Here are his participations: 1968 La siepe (9th) 1971 13 storia d'oggi (8th) 1982 Felicitá - with Romina (2nd) 1984 Ci sará - with Romina (1st) 1987 Nostalgia canaglia - with Romina (3rd) 1989 Cara terra mia - with Romina (3rd) 1991 Oggi sposi - with Romina (-) 1996 È la mia vita (7th) 1997 Verso il sole (14th) 1999 Ancora in volo (6th) 2007 Nel perdono (2nd) 2009 L'amore é sempre amore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4HoYexCkA0 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foJCSqAda-8